LESTRANGE family, Great Ness, Cheswardine, and Knockin, Shropshire.

JOHN LESTRANGE (died c. 1269) witnessed the treaty between Dafydd ap Gruffydd and Henry III in May 1240, was appointed in March 1241 to try Dafydd, and in January 1245 was a commissioner to make peace with him. HAWISE, daughter of this John Lestrange, married Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn. In the years 1244-5 John Lestrange wrote to Henry III telling of Gruffydd's support for the English cause; he aided the prince of Powys against Llywelyn in 1257, and ROGER LESTRANGE (died 1311), son of John, guarded the castle of Dolforwyn for Gruffydd, in whose support he wrote to Edward I claiming lands between the Rhiw and the Luggy. Hawise (above), Gruffydd's wife, was a leader in the plot for the rebellion of Dafydd against Llywelyn in 1274. Roger Lestrange was a justice at Rhuddlan in 1278, controlled the lands of English Maelor and Mechain in this year, and commanded some of the English forces against the Welsh at the end of the 13th century; it was his troops who met Llywelyn at Builth in December 1282. Numerous other members of this family from Shropshire were active in the wars with the Welsh.